"Cassie Taylor was just another good girl acting student. Ethan Holt was the bad boy on campus. Then one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing onstage, Cassie and Ethan's epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart.
Now they've made it to Broadway where they're reunited as romantic leads once again - and their passionate scenes force them to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret-and he's determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much to ever be trusted again. The trouble is, when it comes to love, sometimes it's the things that aren't good for us that are the most irresistible."

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I was so pleasantly surprised with Bad Romeo. From the very first page I was immediately hooked and in awe of Rayven’s technique.

Told along two timelines, we see the Cassie of six years ago when she first enters acting school and meets Ethan. Then there’s present day Cassie who is the complete opposite to her 19 year-old former self. I loved the juxtaposition between these two Cassies. One is so eager and desperate for love and affection while present day Cassie has been hurt too many times and shies away from closeness. I loved Cassie’s voice. While I didn’t always agree with her thoughts or actions, her first person POV was told in such a way that had me immediately believe and relate to her. I felt all her emotions – frustration, angst, desire and most intensely, the pain. I thought it was also a real skill of Rayven’s to be able to show the differences in Cassie: I could tell which Cassie I was reading and yet know she’s still one person despite the time jump.

As Bad Romeo is a very romance centric novel, there wasn’t a lot of delving into secondary characters. The cast of supporting characters did feel a bit generic to me – the bitchy girl who gets slut shamed, the gay best friend – but they were all extremely fun and likeable.

Ethan Holt is definitely one of the most complex male love interests I’ve read. He comes across as your typical hot douchebag but Rayven has written him in a way that allows the layers to be peeled back and really show a damaged guy with trust issues. He can definitely be possessive and jealous but he also genuinely cares about Cassie. Rayven also did a fantastic job of writing present day Ethan who is a totally different person to the one of six years ago. I loved the contrast of broody vs open, frustrated/seemingly angry vs sweet/caring. I was also grateful that he wasn't just described as "hot" or "sexy" which is cliche. He was described as being handsome but with an intensity that belied the word, strong features that stood out because of their sharpness. It was just refreshing to have a guy's appearance justified as to why their features appealed to Cassie.

I loved the acting backdrop to the story. I literally learnt so much about acting and has my eyes opened to the world through their acting teacher Erika. I really got schooled in expressing oneself through acting, perspective and life in general. Rayven shows her knowledge with such finesse throughout the book, incorporating acting and life lessons throughout the book. The way scenes were depicted made me feel like I was watching the play myself or Cassie playing a part!

While I didn’t always like Ethan or Cassie, I liked how everything came together. I loved the way these two characters sort of switched roles in the time they were apart and the way Rayven was able to show how this happened. Bad Romeo was snarky, well written and just overall a very fun book. I’m so glad there’s a sequel.

"Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who’s topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother’s breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.

She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie’s twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can't stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can't deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.

Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she'll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process."

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I’m undecided on how I feel about Hello, I Love You. While I loved the Korean aspect to this, I had major issues with the MC and her voice.

On a whim, Grace Wilde runs away from a family scandal to an international boarding school in Korea. Sadly, I really disliked Grace because she turned what could have been a great eye opening experience into something cringey. I mean, I would LOVE to visit Korea or study abroad. Grace chooses Korea because it was the first thing that popped up on her Google search. Upon reaching Korea though, she doesn’t embrace Korean culture. This annoyed me a lot because she chose to go to Korea for a fresh start. Nobody forced her to go and yet she blatantly rejects and holds prejudices against the people and their culture. She’s plain racist and I just got the big impression that Americans are ignorant red-necks with a superiority complex. I also found her reactions, especially to Jason, unrealistic and unrelatable. She got jealous at every little thing and honestly had no right to be – I mean FFS Jason is an idol and can do as he pleases. I couldn’t understand how she didn’t understand this especially with her famous music family background.

I did really like the secondary characters though. They were all fun and genuine. I liked Sophie’s easy-going nature and willingness to help Grace fit in. I absolutely adored Jason’s bandmate Yoon Jae. He was really sweet and accommodating. I think there could have been more development with the secondary characters. There were definitely more layers to Yoon Jae, and the relationship between Eden (the band) that could have been explored a lot further but the book concentrated heavily on the romance.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance or Jason to be honest. Grace was constantly trying to please him it seemed, or if she wasn’t doing that, she was being jealous and angry at him. Jason was hot and cold all the time and while I like my guys broody he had major issues. At times I thought he was trying to protect Grace but I couldn’t tell, because I felt the deeper parts of their relationship weren’t delved upon. It was practically insta-like on Grace’s part even though she kept trying to deny it and I was just cringing because he actually treated her like shit in the beginning.

One of the biggest things that annoyed me about this book was the way Grace acted all high-and-mighty about things she thought she knew. Especially in regards to music and K-pop. I’m sorry but the way she dissed K-pop and said it lacked emotion, had “parent-friendly chords”, that simply pop means the quality of music is lacking realllyyyyyy pissed me off. Just because she comes from a family of musicians doesn’t mean she knows everything. She didn’t even have any formal training and yet she was suddenly the expert? Oh hell to the no. FYI Grace, your country music and old rock doesn’t appeal to me. Everybody likes different things. As for lacking emotion – 2AM’s performance of Can’t Let You Go Even If I Die, there was this one stage where Changmin cried because of the emotions behind the song. And what about Sunggyu in the Paradise stages? When he drops to the floor I swear to god I want to cry every time. There are soooo many others too. I get feels every time B2ST performs.

On the other hand, Stout does a wonderful job of taking us around South Korea and exploring the country. We get a feel for Korean food, the lifestyle, culture, and my favourite – the shopping. The different kinds of foods and hawker stalls are described really well and even though I personally don’t like Korean food, I wanted to visit Korea just to experience the lifestyle.

Overall, I thought the ending was the most realistic part. When everything comes crashing down on Grace and all the emotions she kept locked inside broke free, I finally got a feel of a more mature girl who had been through a lot and wanted to escape. The MC’s voice aside, Hello, I Love You is also well written and Stout can definitely show (not tell).

Saturday, June 13, 2015

I'm very excited to share with you today Katie's own fancast for her debut novel, Hello, I Love You. I absolutely adore this fancast which is like a K-drama and it fits the characters so well! Thanks to St. Martin's Press for hosting this blog tour!

"Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who's topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother's breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.

She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie's twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can't stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can't deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.

Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she'll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process."

Katie's Fancast

I had a ton of fun fancasting my characters!
Some of them were casted very early on in my brain while I was writing - I
actually had two singers in mind while I was writing the rough draft of the
book!

While these are who the characters look like in
my head, I love hearing other people’s thoughts. or I’d love to hear who you think Grace, Jason,
Sophie, and everyone else looks like, so hit me up on Twitter or Tumblr with
your picks!

Grace - Lily James

I’m a Lily James fan in general. (I mean, how can you not love her as Cinderella?!) Plus, I think she has the perfect hair for Grace. And girl’s got attitude, which totally fits my sassy, broken protagonist.

Jason - Jung Yonghwa

Yonghwa was actually the first character I casted in my head. I knew while I was still rough drafting that he was who Jason looked like. Actually, if you’ve ever seen the Korean drama Heartstrings, you may recognize some of the outfits I describe Jason wearing as ones he wore in that drama. I just loved those sweaters and colorful shoes so much!

Sophie - IU

Sophie is another character I knew early on who I would cast. IU has been one of my favorite KPOP singers since I saw her in the drama Dream High, and I think she perfectly embodies Sophie’s sweetness and charm.

Yoon Jae - Ok Taecyeon

I wanted Yoon Jae to be really striking, where you turn your head when he walks by. I also wanted him to have a little bit of a baby face. Really, there’s no one else I could choose for him besides Taecyeon, who’s both super hot and super cute. And really, he’s perfect for the character I would have chosen to date if I were Grace. ;-)

Tae Hwa - Seungri

Seungri is one of the hottest guys in KPOP, I think (despite his scandals). And I had to choose someone great for Sophie, who’s probably my favorite character in the whole book. Really, I maybe had too much fun looking for good pictures of him…

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Omgosh Katie I am actually really glad that the people I had in my mind turned out to be your fancast. I honestly immediately thought of Yonghwa when I was reading Jason. The whole band thing and Yonghwa is such a good actor he could pull the broody hot and cold Jason off easily. Can I just say I've seen CNBLUE live in concert (TWICE!) and they are fabulous? Yonghwa <3 IU would also make the most adorable Sophie ackkkk. And Taecyeon is so cheerful I can picture him as the smiling Yoon Jae hehe. I don't care about Seungri's scandals because he is so hot, I agree. Also, Big Bang is coming to Sydney later this year and I am so excited to see them!

I could picture Myungsoo (L from Infinite) as Yoon Jae actually :D

About Katie

Katie M. Stout is from Atlanta, Georgia, and works for an international charity that sends her to fun places like Spain and Singapore. When she's not writing, you can find her drinking an unhealthy amount of chai tea and listening to Girls' Generation, Teen Top, and all her other favorite K-pop tunes.

"When 15-year-old Carolyn moves from New Jersey to Alabama with her mother, she rattles the status quo of the junior class at Adams High School. A good student and natural athlete, she’s immediately welcomed by the school’s cliques. She’s even nominated to the homecoming court and begins dating a senior, Shane, whose on again/off again girlfriend Brooke becomes Carolyn’s bitter romantic rival. When a video of Carolyn and Shane making out is sent to everyone, Carolyn goes from golden girl to slut, as Brooke and her best friend Gemma try to restore their popularity. Gossip and bullying hound Carolyn, who becomes increasingly private and isolated. When Shane and Brooke—now back together—confront Carolyn in the student parking lot, injuring her, it’s the last attack she can take.

Sarah Bannan's deft use of the first person plural gives Weightless an emotional intensity and remarkable power that will send you flying through the pages and leave you reeling."

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I am seriously conflicted about this book. Bullying is never an issue that can be tackled easily. It’s not easy to write about and it changes depending on the perspective.

Carolyn Lessing moves from New Jersey to this small, out of the way town, called Adamsville in Alabama. She’s beautiful, athletic, is immediately on the Honour Roll, and also a nice person. She's different. What amazed and disgusted me was how quickly she was talked about – the gossip that immediately spread behind her back based on speculation was horrifying. People loving and hating her at the same time based on simply what they’d heard not what they knew. The slut-shaming, accusations and lies were magnified a hundred times through the student population, who will I henceforth call, the sheep.

The interesting and also disorienting aspect of this book is the perspective from which it’s told. The voice has no name, and I wasn’t even sure if it was one particular person. The story uses the pronoun “we” and never “I”. The reader is able to ascertain that the voice narrating is a female, she’s on the swim team, presumably smart and hangs out with a group of girls comprised of Nicole, Lauren and Jessica – all of whom are on the swim team. Whether the narrator is one of these 3 girls I could never tell. I thought the author’s use of the “we” rather than “I” was really smart, intentional (obviously) but it also really annoyed me. By using “we”, it’s collectively saying the bullying was done/observed by a group of individuals, not ever an individual alone. It’s smart because yes, it only takes one person to bully, but the force of this “we”, this collective, is what really blew everything out of proportion. It annoys me because by doing this, no one person is able to take the blame. It distributes the blame and gives the narrator a way out. If told from the perspective of “I”, she could have said her one voice wouldn’t have mattered but also she could have done the responsible thing and told someone about the bullying. By using “we”, there is never any accountability. “We” could have/should have/might have – NO, there is only what is: that this group of girls who were always observing never had the guts to do anything because they were sheep that followed everybody else.

And my god what a herd of sheep these people are. I wanted to tear my hair out reading about these superficial, materialistic, bitchy sheep that were always trying to get in with the popular girls. They went wherever the popular girls (Taylor, Tiffany, Brooke and Gemma) went. Did whatever they did, wore what they wore, spread rumours for them. Honestly, it was bad enough when the bullying was initiated by the bullies, but without the sheep following and spreading the rumours, things wouldn’t have gotten out of hand.

One of the accurate points of this novel was the use of religion to show the hypocrisy of the people. Everybody attends the same Baptist church, they pray for everything, especially their football games. But no amount of preaching, praying or believing could change these girls. I loved the irony of these people posting Facebook statuses with quotes from the Bible and then partaking in activities they’d just preached were sinful. These popular girls were honestly the definition of sin with their language, their hateful personalities, the way they treated others and the things they did.

But the most horrifying part of this novel was how ignorant the town’s adults were. Every single one of the adults turned a blind eye. The bloody school principal who was obsessed with winning football games, the parents doing god knows what, and the TEACHERS who saw everything and turned a blind eye. That part killed me the most.

Everything just builds up in this quiet town and it’s all extremely fucked up. Every single one of these people are to blame for the bullying. Those that started it, those that helped spread the rumours, those that stood by and did nothing, those that pretend to not see.

I’m not sure how realistic Weightless is in portraying bullying because while I’ve been bullied before and know of the real-life stories, I’ve never seen it to this scale. Because I want to believe that in reality, there would be someone who would speak up, provide support, that they wouldn’t let a whole town just get away with something so disgusting.

Overall, Weightless is a scarily addictive story of bullying at a disturbing scale. It’s a suspenseful, mysterious and haunting account of the consequences of bullying, and the impact of the masses.